Automatic gate



R. Q. PUcK'r-:TT 2,592,736

AUTOMATIC GATE April 15, 1952 Filed Aug. 8, 1949 Fig.

Ralph 0. Puo/refr INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 15,1952

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC GATE Ralphv Q: Puckett, Payette; Idaho- Appllcati'on Augustl 8, 1949 Serial No.,V 109,192'

(Cl, 39-24L) 2 Claims.

i 1 The presen-t invention ful improvements in gates, and more particularly 'pertains to gates' of the type pivotally supported at `their lower edge, that are adapted to be opened by a vehicle or the like and which are self closing.

The primary object of the presen-t invention is to provide a gate of this character adapted for opening movement upon being contacted by a vehicle or the like, in which improved means are provided for-the return of theV gate tothe closed position after the passa-ge of a vehicle therethrough.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide in accordance with the foregoing object a gate in which means are provided for longitudinal movement ot' a mowing part, so as to prevent marring of passing vehicles;

A further important objectief the present invention is to provide in conformity with the foregoing objects a gate construction, wherein an improved means for efiieaciously removing the gate, as heavy trucks o-r machines frequently damage gates of this type as they must necessarily pass thereover.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a gate of this character', which is simple in construction and will be easyV and inexpensive to manufacture.A

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the4 following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, preferred embodiments of which have been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the present invention, showing the same attached to a fence and in the closed position; 4

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the present invention taken substantially from the plane of the section line 2--2 of Figure l, showing alternate open positions of the gate in dotted outline; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modied form of the present invention, illustrating the means permitting removal of the gate from the post.

Reference is now made more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, attention is first directed to the embodiment shown in Figures l and 2. The numeral I designates fence posts which are supported in the ground I2 in any suitable manner, and to which fence boards I4 or the like may be suitably secured.

relates to new and use- The posts I-Il, which may be wood, concrete, steel' or the like as desired, are provided with apertures I6 for receiving the ends of a rock shaft I8 which is rotatable and longitudinally slidable therein. The rock shaft I8 is preferably formed of' galvanized pipe and has attached thereto, as by welding or the like, a plurality of pickets 2U. The pickets 20 are maintained in coplanar relationship by a brace 22, which is individually attached to each 0f the pickets 20.

Since the rock shaft I8 is disposed in close proximity to the surface of the ground, it will be' seen from the foregoing that the pickets 20 may be moved' freely from one to the other of the alternate positions indicated in dotted outline in Figure 2 by rotating the shaft I8., and that the pickets 28 will lie quite flat against the ground in the alternate positions.

Means is provided to yieldingly urge the pickets 28 into the upright or closed position, which include coil springs 24 and 26. Each of the-springs 24 and 26 has one end seated against the inner wal-l of a recess 28 provided in the post I0, and the other end secured to an adjacent picket 20. The springs 24 and 26 are concentric with the rock shaft I8, and are each coiled in the same direction when disposed at opposite 'ends of the rock shaft I8' as shown in Figure l, so that when the rock shaft I8 and pickets 20 are rotated in `one direction the springs 24 and 26 are alter-- nately in tension and compression. lt is considered important that 'the' springs are alternately placed in tensioning compression, in that this will tend to prolong the effective life of the springs. In addition it is considered preferable that the springs 24 and 26 be slightly tensioned against each other when the gate is in a closed position, so that relaxation of the springs will not bring about slackness in the gates movement near the closed position.

Although the springs 24 and 26 are depicted as being disposed at opposite ends of the rock shaft I8, it is obvious that they may be both placed at one end of the rock shaft I8, by enlarging one of the springs so as to be concentric with the other spring, in which case the springs will be reversely coiled so as to produce the atlernate tension and compression of the springs upon rotation of the rock shaft I8.

An important feature of the present invention, when the springs are disposed at opposite ends of the shaft I8, resides in the arrangement of the rock shaft I8 and the springs 24 and 26 which will permit a certain amount of longitudinal movement of the shaft I8 in the aperture I6 with the springs 24 and 26 spacing the pickets 20 from the posts and resiliently urging the rock the passage of heavy equipment. y Vrangement the post Il) is provided with an arbor rthe recess 28.

.tion is believed to be unnecessary.

since numerous modifications and changes will` shaft towardsy a central or what may be conveni? ently termed a neutral position between the posts Ill. The advantage of this arrangement being such that the pickets and rock shaft i8 will yield to lateral forces from a Vehicle or the like so as to avoid injury either to the pickets 20 or scarring of the vehicle.

There is also contemplated that with posts I8 of sufficient size, the apertures I6 may be counterbored so as to receive and to provide a housing for the springs 24 and 28, thus placing the springs in such a position as to avoid the deleterious effects of moisture and grit, or being run over by the wheels of the passing vehicle.

A modified form of the present invention lis illustrated in Figure 3 which will permit thev picket movement indicated by arrows 30 in Figure 2 that will allow the rock shaft I8 and pickets 26 to be readily removed from the post I0, when it is desired to completely remove the gate for In this arv32 suitably attached to the post I0 that is in aXial alignment with the end of the rock shaft 18. A sleeve 34 slidably receives the ends of the arbor 32 and the rock shaft I8. The sleeve .34 and rock shaft I8 are releasably attached by a pin 36 passing therethrough, the arrangement being such that the shaft I8 is rotatably lsupported by the arbor 32 and the sleeve 34. In

this connection it is to be noted that thepin 36 could be used to secure the arbor 32 and the sleeve 34 together with a very similar end result.

However, in any event the pin 36 may be relshaft I8 and the arbor 32 are spaced.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the operation and construction of the device will be readily understood and further explana- However,

readily occur to those skilled in the art after consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a gate construction, in combination, a pair of stationary upright gate posts adapted to form portions of a fence, a laterally projecting arbor on one side of each of said gate posts adjacent the lower ends of the latter, an upright vertically swingable gate member disposed between said gate posts, said gate member having a horizontally disposed rock shaft adjacent its file of this patent:

lower end and a plurality of spaced upstanding pickets, open ended sleeves concentrically mounted to ends of said rock shaft, said sleeves -being telescopically fitted over the respective arbors, the ends of Said rock shaft being in coaxial spaced yalignment with adjacent ends of each arbor, the ends of said sleeves adjacent said gate posts being spaced from said gate posts, and coiled springs mounted concentrically on the ends of said rock shaft, each of said springs being anchored at its ends to one of said gate posts and one end of said gate member respectively.

2. The structure specified in claim 1, including means for releasably securing the sleeves to the ends of said gate member.

RALPH Q. PUCKETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the UNITED VsTATEs PATENTS Great Britain v Aug. 28, 1936 

